


Beautiful Stranger

by justaphantom



Series: Finally [2]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:32:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29727681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justaphantom/pseuds/justaphantom
Summary: It's probably a bad idea to pin hopes on a boy, especially a musician. But maybe Reggie's different.
Relationships: Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Finally [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2184852
Kudos: 19





	Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again. I had fun writing this, and I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Also, once again, the underage warning is because all characters are 17 and AO3 says it's for explicit content involving characters under the age of 18.

It's a strange thing to feel hope after so long without it. Things had gotten better since I came to Hollywood, but feelings of hope were still few and far between. And young as I may be, I'm not about to pin my happiness on a boy. Especially not a musician.

Even with my limited experience, I know better. But Reggie keeps proving me wrong.

After he left that first night, with my phone number scribbled on a scrap of paper and my kiss lingering on his mouth, I truly expected that I'd never see him again. Our worlds overlapped for one perfect night, who's to say it would ever happen again?

When a message appeared on my answering machine two days later, I couldn't control the butterflies in my stomach. Hearing Reggie's voice filled me with the sort of hope I'd only seen in movies. It scared me a little, when I paused to think about it.

What if what we'd had that night was something that wasn't repeatable? What if he wouldn't want me in the light of a new day?

I have to pull myself together, to remind myself that I had more than enough to offer anyone, even if it didn't always seem like it. And if I want to see Reggie again, I can. I'd already shown him so much of me, what was a little more?

I press play on the machine to repeat the message and slide down to the floor as Reggie's voice plays through the tinny speaker. It sounds like my favorite song and I can't get enough. When it ends I reach up and play it again, allowing a giggle to escape my lips as I listen.

He's inviting me to come hear his band practice and I bite the edge of my thumb as I consider it. I've only heard them play the once, and I didn't even catch the full set. Part of me wants to go in a heartbeat. That side of myself can't even fathom the possibility that I'd ever say no.

But my nerves plant a seed of doubt - would his bandmates object? I can't be sure he's told them about me, or that he'd warn them that I'd be coming.

The seed of doubt takes root and grows larger, creating scenarios that twist through my mind like overgrown vines. What if I'm not the first girl he's invited to band practice? He made me feel like there was no one else in the world, but maybe I'm just one of hundreds before me.

I climb back up to my feet and shake my head, clearing my mind of the brush of intrusive doubt. As the message plays for a fourth time, I scribble down the address that Reggie rattles off with a laugh. When I close my eyes I can see his smiling face in my head. I can almost feel his hands on my body, his mouth ghosting over my skin. I shiver and goosebumps spring up all over my arms.

I'm determined now. Nothing, not even my own demons, is going to keep me from going to this band practice.

I've got a few hours before the time he mentioned, which gives me ample opportunity to change out of the clothes I wore to work while still having plenty of time to figure out the directions. After a shower, I wrap myself in a towel and rummage through the drawers in my kitchen looking for a map of the city. I end up rolling it out across the floor since it's the largest empty surface in the whole of my studio apartment. I pore over the streets until I find the small corner of Los Feliz that he mentioned, and then I trace the way back to my studio in Hollywood.

I copy down directions on the same paper I wrote the address down on, and then as I sit back on my heels I allow myself to feel just a small bit of excitement. If I don't get my hopes up too much, I won't be disappointed. If there's one thing I've learned, at least it's that.

I pull on clothes shortly after, opting for a skirt instead of jeans. I take a look at myself in the mirror and allow a smile as I think about what Reggie might think when he sees me. If anything, I'm sure to make an impression on his bandmates.

A little competition never hurt anyone, even if Reggie's already won the war.

I crawl into the front seat of my ancient car, hardly held together by its bolts and definitely worth far less than what I paid for it. I whisper a prayer as I turn the key in the ignition, taking it as a sign that I've made the right decision when it roars to life on the first try.

Traffic from Hollywood to Los Feliz is terrible, as to be expected, and by the time I pull onto the correct street my being are thrumming with excitement. So much for trying to keep my hopes reasonable.

I park the car a few houses down and take a deep breath as I make my way up the sidewalk, clutching my keys in one hand and the directions in the other. I find the house and as I make my way up the driveway towards the garage, I spot a boy with a familiar leather jacket waiting outside the doors.

It now makes sense that there's no music coming from the garage, and my heart swells as I realize that Reggie somehow _knew_ I would come. Or, at the very least, he was counting on it.

He turns around and sees me before I reach him, and his face lights up as he calls my name.

"I got your message," I say as we meet in the middle, tucking my keys into the pocket of my jacket along with the directions.

"You came," he says as he looks at me, his eyes roaming up and down, making me blush under his gaze.

"I did," I reply as I tuck my hair behind my ear. He reaches for my hand and gently pulls me towards him, slipping his other hand around my waist as I stumble into his arms.

"Hi," he whispers with a smile as I tilt my head up to look him in the eye.

"Hi," I reply through a soft breath. Between one second and the next, he presses his mouth to mine and I feel myself melt against him. I run one of my hands through his hair and cup the back of his head while the other lets go of his hand and hooks around his neck.

His hand at my waist tightens its grip as his newly freed hand slides up my ribs. He pulls away with a gasp and I bite my lip as I fight the urge to chase his mouth.

"I--" Reggie groans softly and laughs under his breath. "Come meet the guys?"

I blink slowly and give him a sheepish smile. Honestly, I'd already forgotten that I was there to watch band practice. I could hardly think of anything other than the feel of his hands on me again, and I already didn't want him to let go.

"Okay," I reply as I take my hands away from his neck and drop them down to my sides. Reggie keeps his right where they are and just stares at me as my cheeks go pink.

It reminds me of the night we met, how he wouldn't stop staring at me while we stood at the bar. Somehow I was able to resist him that night in a way that feels way too difficult now. My hands itch to hold him again, to pull him back in for another kiss even if it means he misses band practice.

"Reggie," I whisper, forcing myself to remind the both of us of the task at hand, "shouldn't we…"

"Yeah," he says on an exhale, dropping his hands but catching one of mine on the way down. My heart skips a beat as he laces his fingers with mine. "Come on."

He gently pulls me towards the garage and I take a deep breath. Here it is, the moment of truth. The calm before the storm.

Three pairs of eyes turn to stare at us as Reggie leads the way into the garage. I recognize them from the show, of course, but somehow they're even more intimidating when I'm not staring up at them from the crowd.

"That's Alex," Reggie says, pointing to the drummer. He waves at me and I wave back. "And that's Luke, and then Bobby."

I nod at the other two, feeling a little more nervous than before as they both stare back at me.

"So you're the one who kidnapped Reginald after our gig," Luke says with a smirk.

"Dude," Reggie says with a sigh.

"Reginald?" I repeat softly, snorting with laughter in spite of my nerves. Reggie turns to look at me with a long-suffering look and I shrug my shoulders as I look back at Luke. "I mean… I sort of did."

"Yeah, not sure it's kidnapping if he went willingly," Bobby says with a laugh. "I doubt he put up a fight."

"Okay," Alex interrupts as Reggie turns bright red. "It's very nice to meet you," he says as he looks at me, and then he turns to his bandmates, "can we start practice now?"

As the others pick up their instruments, Reggie directs me to sit down on the couch along there wall of the garage. He lets go of my hand and I start to feel nervous again. I tug on the hem of my skirt as I sit down, pulling it as far down as it'll go as I make myself comfortable.

I don't know what to do with myself as they start to play. I'm used to performances in clubs where there's dozens of people all crammed together in a small space, feeding off the energy of each other and the band that's playing. I've never watched a band just practice before; it almost feels like I'm intruding on some sort of sacred ritual that I was never meant to be a witness to.

Then I start to wonder what it's like for each of them to have a complete stranger watching them practice. It's likely different for Reggie, considering he's the one who invited me here, but it may very well be nerve wracking in a completely different way.

Maybe my presence makes each of them nervous in the same way I'm nervous being around the four of them. I can't help but wonder if maybe I shouldn't have come in the first place, no matter how desperate I was to see Reggie again. At the end of the day, I'm not his girlfriend, I'm just some girl he met in a club once.

Even if I was his girlfriend, I'm not sure I'd want to be the kind who hangs around doing nothing while they practice. I feel awkward and useless, like a prop in the corner that's just there to look pretty and serves no real purpose. That's not who I want to be.

I try and keep my discomfort from showing on my face, because it's not their fault. I enjoy their music and even if they're just practicing it's clear they pour everything into their performance, but the longer it goes on the more uncomfortable I feel.

But I can't leave. I don't want to insult them. I don't want Reggie to feel like he has to make a choice between the band and me. If it came up, I'd expect him to choose them in a heartbeat.

I'm still just a girl he met in a club.

Still, every time Reggie glances my way I get a fluttery feeling in my chest. It makes my head spin and if I were standing, my knees would surely go weak. And every time he looks away, I just want him to turn back and look at me again.

I didn't mean for this to happen, but somehow I've already gotten in over my head. I can't even imagine what I must look like to anyone else, but surely it's obvious that whatever I feel for Reggie, it's hit me hard.

I don't know how long I've been there by the time they call it a day, but the sun's started to set outside the garage doors. I stay seated on the couch as Reggie puts his bass away, and I try my best not to awkwardly glance around at his bandmates.

The less attention I draw to myself, the better. The confidence I felt in my outfit hours ago has disappeared while I've been here and has left me wishing I'd worn something that covered a bit more of me.

"It was nice to meet you," Alex says from across the room as he gets up from his drumset and shoulders a backpack.

"You too," I reply in a quick, nervous fashion as he heads for the garage doors. Out of the corner of my eye I see Luke and Bobby share a look, but neither of them say anything to me.

My attention is stolen away by Reggie a moment later, and any shred of worry I had about what his bandmates might think of me disappears in a heartbeat when he smiles at me.

"What'd you think?" he asks as he holds out his hand to me, helping me up to my feet.

"It was…" I laugh softly as my cheeks turn a little red, "...even better than last time."

Reggie hums thoughtfully. "High praise."

"Did you think I'd tell you it sucked?" I ask, laughing a little as Reggie snorts.

"I mean, if we sucked then I'd definitely want to know."

"We don't suck!" Luke says loudly from the other side of the room. I bite my lip as my blush deepens and Reggie rolls his eyes as he turns towards Luke.

"That's not what I said!"

Luke repeats Reggie's statement in a mocking tone and Bobby laughs, drawing Luke's attention away from the two of us. Reggie turns back to me and I watch him with a nervous smile.

"Don't mind him," Reggie whispers. "Do you wanna get out of here?"

"Sure," I reply, and Reggie tightens the grip on my hand as he starts leading me towards the door.

"Later, losers!" he calls over his shoulder, getting a mixed reaction from Luke and Bobby as we leave the garage.

"I'm glad you came," Reggie says as we start walking down the driveway. "I wasn't sure you would."

"I didn't think you'd call," I admit with a soft laugh, "but I'm glad you did."

"Why wouldn't I call?" he says, pulling me closer to his side as he comes to a sudden stop. I turn and look up at him, blushing deeply as he looks back at me.

"I don't know," I say sheepishly. "Why did you?"

"Because I wanted to see you again," Reggie answers as he brings his other hand up to my face, his fingers brushing against my cheek as he leans in for a kiss. I sigh contentedly into his mouth and wrap my hand around his wrist, wanting to keep his arm right where it is.

I loop his other arm around to my back, twisting my arm until he lets go of my hand to place his hand on the flat of my back. As he pulls me closer, the kiss deepens and I wrap my arm around his shoulders to get as close to him as I can manage.

The world feels like it's spinning around us as Reggie kisses me breathless. We're barely at the end of the driveway and his bandmates could very well come out of the garage and catch us like this at any minute, as could any other stranger on the street, but I don't want to stop kissing him. He whispers my name against my mouth and I whimper in response, feeling my legs shake underneath me as his hand at my back starts to slide further down.

I gasp sharply as he cups the curve of my ass with his hand, and he groans when our hips meet. I can feel him against me, already hard just from a few minutes of kissing.

"God," he mutters, breathing heavily as he rubs his thumb against my cheek. "You just…" he trails off and grunts softly before he kisses me again like it's the last thing he'll ever do.

"Reggie," I say as I turn my head to break the kiss, trying to catch my breath before I get too dizzy. He presses his forehead to my temple as he takes one deep breath after another, the hand at my face sliding down my neck. "We should--"

"Yeah," he breathes out, laughing a little as he lifts his head. "Right." He clears his throat and I lick my lips as I try to take a step backwards. "There's, umm, a bus stop--"

"Actually," I interrupt with a laugh, turning my head to the left as I look up the street. "I have a car." I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out my keys, jingling them a little.

"Oh." Reggie blinks down at the keys and smiles widely. "That's way better than the bus."

"Yeah," I laugh, "sometimes."

I pull myself out of Reggie's grasp as I lead the way up the street to where I parked my car, but he follows close behind. When I step out into the street to head for the driver's side door, he catches my waist and pulls me back, spinning me around to press me against the back of the car as he kisses me again.

"Reggie," I say with a soft giggle, followed by a whimper when his leg presses between mine. He moans softly as he pulls back, his pupils wide as he stares into my eyes.

"Sorry," he breathes shakily, "can't help myself."

I pull him in for one more kiss before I push him off of me, shaking my keys between us. "You're going to make driving home very difficult, aren't you?"

"Maybe," he answers with a laugh. "Is that where we're going?"

I bite my lip, embarrassed by my assumption. It had just slipped out, in all honesty.

"I mean, unless you have something else in mind," I say, trailing off and giving Reggie the chance to object.

"I think," Reggie says as he moves back towards me, "it's pretty obvious what I have in mind."

I put my hand up between us, catching his mouth before he can kiss me again. He makes a noise of disappointment and I last about three seconds before I start laughing.

"We'll never make it there if you don't _stop_ ," I say as I slip out from between him and the back of my car. He groans but starts walking the other way, around to the passenger side.

"Okay, okay," he says with a resigned sigh. "If you insist."

I roll my eyes as I unlock my door, sliding into the driver's seat and reaching across to unlock his. He climbs in as I put on my seatbelt, and as I go to put the key in the ignition, he says my name. In a split second, I'm distracted enough that I turn to look at him and he swoops in for another kiss, smiling against my mouth before I push him away.

"You little--"

"One for the road!" he replies, winking at me before he puts on his seatbelt. I shake my head as I start up the car, grateful that it doesn't give me any trouble. Lord only knows what sort of suggestions Reggie would have if my car didn't start.

Traffic is worse on the way back, but it doesn't matter. It could've taken hours and I would've loved every minute of it. Reggie fills the silence with commentary about the people and places we pass, asking the most ridiculous questions that make me laugh so hard I might cry, and he tries to steal a kiss at just about every red light.

Every time I look at him, he's already looking at me. My heart swells within my chest and I have to make myself focus on the road. No one's ever had this effect on me before and I don't know how to handle it. When he puts his hand on my thigh, I honestly feel like I could melt under his touch.

The air between us hangs heavy as I pull into my parking spot and we both take off our seatbelts. Reggie leans across armrest between us and takes my hand, bringing it up to his mouth and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. I hold my breath as I watch him, and my heartbeat quickens with the promise of what's coming next.

"Can I stay tonight?" he asks softly.

"S-Stay over?" I ask, and he nods. "Won't you get in trouble?"

He shrugs one shoulder. "They'll probably assume I'm at Luke's or something."

I bite my lip and chuckle softly as I turn away, pretending like I need time to think it over. What I'm really thinking about is how I'm ever going to let him go in the morning. He whispers my name and I turn back towards him, closing the gap between us as I lean in for a kiss.

"That's a yes… right?" he asks as I pull away.

"Yes," I reply, laughing as I roll my eyes. "Come on, let's go inside."

Reggie follows me through the door and sits down on the corner of my bed as I shut the door and lock it, setting my keys down before I start taking my shoes and jacket off.

"You hungry?" I ask, starting to walk further into the studio, "I could--"

"Nope," Reggie replies as he catches me around the waist again and pulls me to him, and we both laugh as I fall onto his lap.

"You sure?" I ask, playing coy as he maneuvers me around to straddle his lap. "I could order something, or we could go and get--"

"Definitely not hungry," he says, curling one arm around my back as he slides his other hand up my thigh, making his way under my skirt.

I shiver under his touch and gasp a little, grabbing onto his shoulders for balance as his fingers brush against me. He presses his mouth to my neck as I arch my back, groaning against my skin as he slips his fingers under the thin fabric of my underwear.

"Reggie--" I say with a choked moan, looking down at him and whimpering as his fingers slide inside of me.

"God," he says brokenly as his other hand slides up the back of my shirt, "I missed you."

"I--" I gasp as he pinches the clasp of my bra, unhooking it underneath my shirt as he continues touching me. "I m-missed you too."

"Yeah?" Reggie groans against my skin and I tilt my head down to kiss him again, rocking my hips down onto his hand. "I couldn't stop thinking about you," he admits when I break away to pull my shirt over my head, taking my bra off with it and tossing them both aside.

I moan as I take his face in my hands, tipping his head back so I can kiss him as much as I want. He clings to me as he pushes another finger inside of me, both of us moaning into each other's mouths as we rock against each other.

"Reggie," I whimper, twisting my hands into his shirt as I toss my head back. "Fuck," I gasp, "w-will you--"

"Anything," he says immediately, moaning against my chest, "god, _anything_."

"Fuck me," I breathe out sharply, "just like this."

"God," Reggie moans, and his fingers immediately come to a stop inside me. " _Yes_ , fuck," he groans, sliding his other hand up into my hair and pulling me into a desperate kiss.

It takes another few minutes for either of us to compose ourselves enough to break apart, me to grab a condom and him to take off his clothes. After I hand over the condom, I slowly slide my underwear down my thighs and off completely while I leave my skirt just where it is.

Reggie bites his lip as he watches me, and only tears his eyes away long enough to roll the condom onto himself. I climb back onto his lap a moment later, breathing shakily as he guides himself into me and I slowly skin down.

He feels bigger like this, more than I remember, and I curl into him as I shake. His hands roam all across my body, like he can't decide what part of me he wants to touch the most. When I'm used to the feeling of him filling me up I start to move my hips, and he starts chanting my name like it's the only word he knows.

I close my eyes and hold him close to me, desperately wanting to commit this to memory.

"Kiss me," he pleads as he presses his hand against my jaw. I lift my head and kiss him as best I can while we move our hips in time with each other.

"Reggie," I whimper as I pull away, arching my back again as I cry out in pleasure.

" _God_ ," he groans, pressing his face into my chest, "you're all I could think about since--"

"Yes," I moan, "god, me too."

"I just-- I wanted--" Reggie whimpers a little and grips my hips tightly. "Had to see you again."

I bend down to kiss him again, even though we're both so frantic in our breathing and movements that it's hard to keep our mouths together. His words make my head spin and I feel even more dizzy than I did before when he was just kissing me.

He might not even mean them, he might just be caught up in the moment. I can't let him keep going and say more, to give me the hope I'm so desperately trying to avoid.

"Reggie," I say, repeating it over and over as the familiar heat grows inside of me and threatens to overwhelm my senses.

"Yeah," he groans, pressing his face into my skin like he's trying to hold onto me forever, "please, come on, let me--"

" _Reggie_ ," I whimper as I shake against him, my hips coming to a sudden stop while his keep thrusting up into me.

"God, fuck, yes, yes, _yes_ \--" he shouts, propping one arm behind him for balance as the other wraps around my waist, clutching the fabric of my skirt in his hand and keeping me close to him as we both finish riding out our orgasms.

I gasp for breath and shiver as he lets go of my skirt and runs his hand up my spine. His hand curls around the back of my neck as he guides our mouths together, moaning softly into mine as he kisses me. The sense of urgency he had before is gone now. He's not kissing me like he _needs_ it, but it's just as good. I still feel his desire through his kisses, it matches my own, but now he kisses me like he wants to be close to me.

I could kiss him for hours, and a thrill runs through me as I remember him asking _can I stay tonight_. For all I know, this is how we're going to spend the whole night. I find myself laughing as the excitement rushes over me, and Reggie laughs a little as he pulls away.

"What?" he asks, brushing my hair out of my eyes as he looks at me.

"Nothing," I reply, biting my lip to hold back any more giggles.

"Tell me," he asks as he noses against my jaw.

"It's nothing," I insist, closing my eyes as I sigh softly. "Just…"

"What?"

"I like kissing you," I whisper as he presses his mouth to my cheek, making his way back to my mouth and kissing me again. He moans before pulling away again, pressing his forehead against mine as he speaks.

"I like kissing you too."

"Good," I reply, eager to start kissing him again. He grunts softly and pulls back a second later, and it takes me a moment to realize why. "Oh."

Reggie snorts softly. "Stay right here?" he asks.

" _Right_ here?" He rolls his eyes and I snicker softly as I kiss his cheek. "Don't worry, I'll be here when you get back."

"Thank you," he replies, kissing my lips quickly before I slide off of his lap and climb onto the bed while he excuses himself to the bathroom.

I slip my skirt off and pull my covers back, crawling into bed even though it's still early yet. As I lay back with my head on one of my pillows, I smile to myself. I could get used to this sort of thing, and it doesn't seem as scary as it did before. I can enjoy a good thing while it lasts instead of being worried about the end.

Reggie reappears a few minutes later and chuckles under his breath when he sees me. I prop myself up onto my elbows as he climbs onto the bed, sliding under the covers next to me and breathing out a sigh of relief as he looks at me.

"What?"

"Just making sure you didn't get dressed," he says, smirking at me as he presses in close.

"You'd just hate that, wouldn't you?" I ask sarcastically.

"Oh, it'd be terrible," Reggie replies in a mock-serious tone as he props his head up with one of his hands while he slides the other across my torso. "I'd definitely have to do something about it."

"I'm sure you would."

Reggie smiles as he presses a single kiss to my lips. "I meant it, you know," he whispers.

"Meant what?"

"You're all I thought about the last few days," he clarifies. I swallow hard as my cheeks turn pink, and I roll onto my side to face him.

"Really?" I ask, partially out of disbelief and partially because if it _is_ true, I want to hear more.

"Yeah," he answers with a laugh. "The guys, uhh, got a little sick of it."

I snort and cover my mouth with one hand. "So they hate me already, huh?"

"No!" Reggie insists. "They don't hate you. If anything, it's me." He laughs.

"Alex was nice," I say as I lie down on my back again. "He's my favorite."

"Really?" Reggie says, mimicking my tone from earlier. "I thought I was your favorite."

I bite my lip as I lift my hand to caress his cheek. "I could be persuaded."

"Is that right?" he asks slyly as he leans down to kiss me. "I bet I can change your mind."

"I bet you could," I reply, gasping softly as Reggie grabs my waist and pull me flush against him. "You've got all night," I say breathlessly.

"And I intend to use it," he whispers in my ear, "and every night after."

I whimper softly as I seek out his mouth again, kissing him like it's what I need most in the world. And maybe, in that moment, it is. For now, I'll take everything that Reggie is willing to give me. I feel safe with him in a way I haven't ever felt safe with anyone.

Down the road, that might change. But for now, I'll just enjoy it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still thinking about writing something similar about Luke, so stay tuned. Feel free to leave me comments, or send me an email at justaphantomfic@gmail.com
> 
> Thanks for reading.


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